FULTON – During the June 4 Common Council meeting, Department of Public Works Commissioner C.J. Smith presented to the council and the community members a timeline regarding the debate to remove or repair the dam at Sharp’s Pond.
Smith said within the past two weeks he has heard members of the community say they do not want to lose the pond because it would be detrimental to the city’s history. He said while he understands that point of view, this can hinder Fulton from moving toward a better future.
“We all need to put forth a positive, optimistic notion and thought process on how we can make this a better place to live,” Smith said.
He began the timeline with May 19, 2017, and ended with June 4.
Smith recounted the beginning of the debate when the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation conducted a routine inspection and deemed it necessary to either fix the dam or deconstruct it.
Smith then recounted how the city council decided to decommission the dam and how he had reached out to their engineering consultant, GHD, which had been used in 2013 after that year’s DEC inspection report identifying structural problems in the dam.
He said in June 2017, it was decided to use a portion of a $3.5 million bond for the deconstruction of hazardous city-owned properties, including the demolition of the Nestle factory to fund the decommissioning of the dam.
This was estimated to be in a “ballpark range” $250,000, using city forces to remove the dam.
Smith cited articles from Oswego County Today and the Fulton Valley News on the situation and how the council had approved the bond to demolish said properties, including the dam at Sharp’s Pond.
June 28, 2017, an agreement between the Common Council and GHD consulting engineers was received, then executed by Mayor Ronald Woodward two days later, according to Smith.
“The cost of engineering and design, permitting preparation, on-site meetings with regulatory agencies, preconstruction meetings, and on-site engineering during the entire time of decommissioning the dam totals $100,000,” Smith said.
July 6, 2017, Smith said in a letter to the DEC Dam Safety Section, he requested copies of any documents in relation to the dam to be sent to GHD. August 3, 2017, GHD responded with a plan of action to the DEC.
From August to September 2017, Smith said surveys of the pond were completed, determining the underwater depths of the pond and surrounding areas.
January 25, 2018, Smith said a full environmental assessment had been completed. February 26, 2018, GHD held a preconstruction meeting in the mayor’s conference room to discuss preliminary plans. March 15, 2018, GHD sent their opinion of probable costs to decommission the dam using city forces.
“[This] includes equipment costs, bypass pumping costs, construction manning, off-road dump trucks, sandbags, super sacks, and all the materials needed for channel lining… and channel sub-base,” Smith said.
April 10, 2018, after reviewing the estimation of probable costs provided by GHD, it was determined the city of Fulton would not have enough funds from the 2017 bond they had planned to use, given the priority of demolishing the Nestle factory, therefore, the Sharp’s Pond project could not be completed in 2018.
Smith then fast forwarded one year to April 2, 2019 and said he sent out an interoffice memorandum and a copy of the 2017 DEC inspection report to the council to refresh their memories on the project because “it was gaining some traction in the public conscience.”
May 21, Smith said the Common Council met and approved the $150,000 needed for the project.
“Following this Common Council meeting, the city received an influx of interest from the public concerning the project,” Smith said.
May 28, the council met and discussed the cost it would take to save Sharp’s Pond. Instead of just Smith and the council like a DPW meeting usually has, Smith said people running for political office, members of the media and the general public attended as well.
Smith said June 4, GHD supplied the city of Fulton with a ballpark estimate of reconstructing the dam, which is a Class B – intermediate hazard, would cost within a range of $500,000 to $800,000. Smith said with this option, there would be no change in the water level, with the most maintenance cost, the most regulatory compliance requirements and the most risk of a dam breach.
With the option to just deconstruct the dam and allow it to revert back to its natural form, a creek, Smith said GHD found this would allow for no recurring maintenance cost, no regulatory compliance requirements and no risk of a dam breach.
“As with any project of this scope, unforeseen issues are difficult to estimate at this time,” Smith said. “At this time, if the city were to hire a contractor through the open bid process, to decommission the dam, that estimate would be [300,000] to 500,000 [dollars].”
Smith said the estimate to use city forces to decommission the dam in 2017 was $125,000 to $150,000. However, he said in order to provide a more accurate cost estimate, more engineering services would be necessary for further evaluation.
Concluding his presentation, Smith said as DPW commissioner, he wanted to clear the air on the project and provide the two years of information through his eyes. As a Fulton citizen, he expressed his desire for the city to move forward and make the community better.
“I believe there is an extreme need to cut out the negative light that is shed on this city, and ask ourselves on a daily basis, ‘What am I, myself, doing to make this a better place to live?’” Smith said.
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Bring Sharps pond back!
Thank You CjSmith for sharing the information in detail as to the function and alternatives to the Sharp’s Pond situation.We appreciate all the interest that the community has shown.